"Brrrrring, Brrrrring...Ahllloooo?" In our three trips to Russia, we were hard-pressed to find a native who didn't have either a cell phone or cigarette in their hands at any given time. So it came as no surprise that the phone was Zoe's favorite toy in the orphanage. With role models like Jiana, our translator in Yekaterinburg, Zoe came to us well-trained in telephone etiquette.

So we wondered how much of this phone addiction would be retained in her new life in America. Apparently plenty. From the moment she saw us turn on our cell phones after landing, she was hooked. If she gets one in her hand, it's nearly impossible to get it out. It's now a 50/50 shot that you'll find our landline phones in the house are off-the-hook.

She definitely knows the difference between the toy and real phones, so that trick doesn't work. We thought we'd outsmart her and give her one of our old cell phones, but she won't be caught dead with anything but the newer flip-phones we're currently carrying.

Last night, Zoe made her first phone call. She connected with her friend Laira in Chicago. They discussed a number of issues, comparing notes on their first few days in America. In exchange for telephone time, we're allowing her to do chores around the house, such as test-wearing some of Mama's laundry.

As for the phones that are constantly in her hands, we consider ourselves fortunate. Better a Motorola than a Marlboro.

  ¶ 6:05 AM